AIPA Pushes For Women, Youth Empowerment In ASEAN Nation-building

Barnama

26-05-2025

President of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA), Tan Sri Johari Abdul addresses participants at the ASEAN Leaders'™ Interface With Representatives Of AIPA session in conjunction with the 46th ASEAN Summit at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC) today. -- fotoBERNAMA (2025) COPYRIGHT RESERVED
Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul, who is also the 46th ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) president during a press conference after the ASEAN Leaders’ Interface With Representatives Of AIPA session in conjunction with the 46th ASEAN Summit at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre today. Also present secretary-general of AIPA Siti Rozaimeriyanty Abdul Rahman (left).
KUALA LUMPUR, May 26 (Bernama) -- ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) president Tan Sri Johari Abdul have conveyed a strong and unified message on the need to enhance female and youth participation across various sectors to advance inclusive nation-building within ASEAN.
He stressed that women and youth must be given greater space in leadership, politics and decision-making processes, as they are essential to building a sustainable and people-centred ASEAN.
'Alhamdulillah, in Malaysia, women's involvement is very encouraging in certain areas, particularly in the public sector's supporting services, where we have likely surpassed 50 per cent, and in the education sector as well,' he told reporters after ASEAN Leaders' Interface with Representatives of AIPA, held on the sidelines of the 46th ASEAN Summit here today.
However, he noted that women remain underrepresented in other key fields, especially politics, and emphasised the need to empower young women to take on leadership roles.
'This is the area we want to push, so that the participation of young ladies becomes more active and prominent,' he said.
Johari, who is the Dewan Rakyat Speaker, also called for greater empowerment of youth as future leaders, stressing that their aspirations must be meaningfully incorporated across all sectors, including politics, the economy, social development and education.
He reaffirmed the shared commitment of ASEAN leaders and AIPA member parliaments to advancing a more inclusive, sustainable and people-centred regional community.
Meanwhile, in a statement, the Office of the Speaker of the House of Representatives noted that Johari commended Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's leadership as ASEAN Chair and emphasised the importance of strong collaboration between the executive and legislative branches in shaping regional policy.
The statement also highlighted the need to strengthen parliamentary initiatives supporting the empowerment of women and youth, the acceleration of digital integration and the advancement of green and sustainable economic growth.